This clinical trial aims to evaluate the analgesic effect of an interpectoral-pectoserratus plane (IPP-PSP) block compared to a placebo (sham block) in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement via right anterior minithoracotomy (AVR-RAT). The primary objective is to determine whether the IPP-PSP block effectively reduces opioid consumption during the first 28 hours post-surgery.
The trial is designed as a single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled superiority trial. It will enroll adult patients aged 18 years or older who are scheduled for minimally invasive AVR-RAT and meet specific inclusion criteria. Exclusion criteria are established to ensure the safety and integrity of the trial.
Patients undergoing minimally invasive AVR-RAT will be randomly assigned to either the IPP-PSP block group or the sham block group.
The primary endpoint of the trial is the cumulative opioid consumption (in oral morphine milligram equivalents (OMEs)) within the first 48 postoperative hours after completion of the surgical procedure. Secondary outcomes include the number of episodes of postoperative pain, time to need for rescue medication, incidence of respiratory complications, PaCO2 levels, postsurgical recovery, episodes of postoperative nausea and vomiting, time to extubation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, quality of life, number of days alive and at home after surgery, and vital status at 30 days post-operative.
The trial aims to enroll a total of 144 patients, with 72 patients randomized into each group. Blinding will be implemented, meaning neither the participant, anesthesiologist, study nurse, surgeon, nor the doctors and nurses in the Intensive Care Unit will know the participant's group assignment.
The anesthesia and monitoring proceed as usual for such procedures. After the anesthesiologist administered the IPP-PSP block or a placebo at the end of the procedure, the participant will be transferred to the ICU. During the hospital stay, they will be regularly asked to assess their pain level, and additional pain relief will be administered, if necessary.
To assess quality of recovery and quality of life differences between groups, participants will complete two questionnaires the day before surgery. A recovery questionnaire will be completed at three time points post-surgery (day 1, day 2, and day 7 after the surgery). Participants will be involved in the trial for a total of 31 days, with follow-up during hospitalization and a follow-up phone call 30 days post-surgery.
